The Lord's Day

Because Grace Covenant Church affirms the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, we believe that the Bible dictates how we worship not only as individuals but as a corporate body of believers.

On a corporate level, we hold to the Regulative Principle of Worship, which contends that there is a governing prescription of the public worship of God in the church. In other words this means that the Word of God regulates our worship. Practically, what this means is that Grace Covenant Church is not seeking to invent new ways of worshiping God, but we seek to submit to the Word of God to govern what we do when we gather.

This belief does not dictate that every church ought to be an exact copy of one another. We make a distinction between the elements of worship and the circumstances of each element. The elements of worship prescribed in the Bible include: reading the Word of God (1 Tim 4:13), ​​preaching the Word of God (2 Tim 4:2), singing the Word of God (Eph 5:19; Col 3:16), praying the Word of God (Matt 21:13), seeing the Word of God in the ordinances (Matt 28:19; Acts 2:39-39; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Col 2:11-12), and fellowshipping around the Word of God (Acts 2:42; 1 John 1:3). Yet the circumstances, or how each element is exercised, will differ from one church to another.

As a community of believers who affirm the sufficiency of Scripture, we are not free to invent new elements of worship, but as a community of believers who employ its God-given autonomy, we are free to choose the circumstances of each element of worship. Our individual and corporate worship realizes one of our core values to exalt God. It is only after exalting God that the body of Christ is moved to edify one another so that they may go out and engage the watching world. When the church starts with a right understanding of worship of God to exalt Him, the church flourishes and lives according to God’s Word.

At Grace Covenant Church, we are committed to faithfully preaching the whole counsel of Scripture in order to exalt God, edify the saints, and engage the world, for it is the means in which God uses to sanctify and conform us into the image of Christ.  

What does proclaiming the Word of God look like at Grace Covenant Church? As the redeemed people of God through Christ, we understand that our commitment to Scripture means we prioritize and declare the whole counsel of God. The main way we intend to accomplish this is to preach expositionally when we gather corporately on the Lord's Day. 

Our goal is to diligently labor and preach the text of the Bible, and in that process, communicate faithfully the timeless truths of God with a Christological focus. We do this because when God's covenant people hear, understand, and apply the truths of God - He is exalted, the saints are edified, and strenthened to engage of the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

At Grace Covenant Church we believe in having family integrated worship services because of the close connection between the church and family. We believe that these two institutions are God ordained institutions and are seen intimately working together for the worship of God. In the Old Testament we see that the people of God were integrated together in the worship of God. During the Passover Feast (Ex 12:1-28), Tabernacle worship (Lev 1:1-17, 2:1-16, 3:1-17, 4:1-5:13, 5:14-6:7), Sabbath Feast (Deut 12), reading of the Law (Deu 31:12-13, Josh. 8:35, Neh. 8:1-2), and Temple worship (2 Chron. 31:18) families were intimately involved together and children were actively present. 

In the New Testament this pattern continues. In Jesus’ ministry we see Christ engaging the children who were present among the crowds and even rebuking the disciples for restraining them (Matt 18:2-3). When Christ teaches and feeds the multitudes, families are present (Matt 14:21, 15:38). Families are seen praying together in the NT church in Acts 21:5. In the local church gatherings Paul addresses the children in Eph 6:1-4, writing to them, assuming that they are present during the public reading of his letter to hear his exhortation to them.

Therefore, we have our children worship with us every Lord’s Day. Allowing them to see the church and their family worship the Lord. It is our hope that this would feed into the efforts of the parents in the discipleship of their children. We not only welcome the little ones, but we desire for them to be there. We know that this comes with the extra noise, but it does not bother us. We want the fullness of families worshiping God together. 

Come and dress as you feel comfortable. Just know that the pastors/elders will dress in either business formal or business casual attire.